Second Chance Coward
by Tarafina
Summary: He foolishly walked away once, but he knew his mistake now.


**Title**: Second Chance Coward  
**Category**: Smallville  
**Rating**: T  
**Genre**: Romance/Angst/Humor  
**Pairing**: Chloe/Oliver  
**Prompt**: #035 - Act  
**Word Count**: 2,291  
**Summary**: He foolishly walked away once, but he knew his mistake now.

**_Second Chance Coward_**

Oliver Queen had never considered himself a coward… At least not until the day he and Chloe found themselves in a very spontaneous, very passionate kiss. And then he'd run off like Lois in the face of commitment. He was being curt with her, he knew that. He was avoiding the inevitable, he knew that too. But the night everything changed, he'd experienced something unexpected. Kissing her, having her wrapped tight in his arms, her body molded to his, there'd been a _spark_. And he didn't mean just sexually, although that was very much present too. Chloe Sullivan was a woman of many commendable attributes; she was intelligent, funny, beautiful, cunning, and had the ability to do what needed to be done in the face of whatever came her way. He'd never ignored that about her, in fact he admired it, but when he'd kissed her those things came into glaring clarity.

Since Lois and his doomed attempts at trying to restart a relationship that was meant to fail, he'd kept himself and the female species at a comfortable distance. He didn't want to be entangled, he didn't want to try again only to fall and know he had to give it all up again. He had too many secrets, too many flaws, and he wasn't willing to share himself and get hung out to dry. But the truth about him, his character, both good and bad, was already well known by Chloe. In fact, like no other before her, she knew him in a way he'd never expected of anyone. Which was why, when their lips met and he found himself reaching for her and holding on with a desperation he couldn't remember before, he knew that if he could love anyone and have them love him back as deeply and as reverently as he'd always wanted, it would be with her. So, like the coward he'd never thought himself, he walked away from it.

He wanted to blame it on the logical part of his heart escaping any chance of heartbreak and it was a good excuse, but the truth of it was he was scared. Scared of loving like that, of having what he wanted but held at a distance; scared of getting the happily ever after without some hidden agenda somewhere along the line. Honestly, nothing was free, nothing happened without some consequence. And he was certain that having what he so wanted would mean losing something of equal value.

Three weeks he'd put her off, avoiding any talk of what had happened, making sure to stay away from her when they were alone. He couldn't deny that when she was near the only thing he wanted to do was kiss her again. When he wasn't scouring the city for the bad guys, he was contemplating just how _right _it would be to give in already. But he didn't, and despite how stubborn his heart was, his head was just the same. It was his head that came up with the plan to end it all for good; what fantasies he might have had with her and a future were to be doused and forgotten.

Dressed to the nines, he escorted a Brazilian model to the charity function he'd been invited to and wasn't quiet about it. She knew what he was doing even if she didn't acknowledge it and he assured himself that she too would understand what had to be done just as soon as it stopped feeling _wrong_. It wasn't all about that, however. He and the team were on recon with Victor doing a little hacking into the main system of Gloria Jamieson, who was hosting the event. They had their suspicions that her supposed late husband wasn't dead at all, and in fact running a covert and not quite kosher business behind the scenes. He watched from the sidelines as Bart and AC were able to distract the guards just enough to let Victor get past them. The hidden earpiece kept him updated on everyone's status so he turned his attention away from his two younger teammates and smiled at his date who was apparently telling some interesting tale that he hadn't heard one word of. His associates, however, were laughing brightly for her, even if they were only interested in just how nicely she filled out a dress.

"Holy Tuna, are you seeing what I'm seeing?" AC muttered under his breath.

"I think I just died a little," Bart whimpered. "Hell-o _heaven!_"

Oliver's brows furrowed.

"Should I be worried?" Victor asked quietly.

"No. You're fine," AC replied distractedly. "But I think bossman's going to have a heart attack."

Bart laughed. "Screw that, I call dibbs!"

"Do I _want _to know what you're talking about?" Chloe's sweet voice came through his ear.

"As if you didn't know, 'Licious," Bart replied flirtatiously. "You are looking so _beyond_…"

"Agreed," AC added supportively.

"Thanks boys. Now back to business."

"Soon as my tongue stops wagging."

Chloe snorted. "Always flattering, Impulse."

"Who's the stiff?"

"Be nice."

"Not us you should be worried about," AC said wryly.

She gave an amused sigh. "Eyes on the prize, boys. We'll talk about this later."

"Fine… But I want details."

With amusement, she told him sternly, "I'm not telling you the color of my underwear, Bart."

"You know me so well!"

Suddenly, he saw her.

His breath left him abruptly, eyes widening as he saw her turn in his direction even as her eyes strayed to the man at her side. Dressed in a flowing blood red gown that hugged her curves and flared out from her thighs to whisper around her legs, she was absolutely heavenly. Her hair fell in soft waves to her bare shoulders, glowing like spun gold. With little to no make-up, her smile was the main attraction and it drew him in like a moth to flame. She was always beautiful, but tonight she was stunning.

And then he saw her date.

Tall, dark and handsome, whoever he was he looked at her like Oliver _wanted _to. Hanging on to her every word, he laughed in all the right places and didn't hide his infatuation when he brushed her hair from her cheek and behind her ear. Oliver felt a pang in his chest, a churning in his stomach, and for a moment, everything felt dark. His jaw clenched painfully and with the insight of a man who'd just seen his future and walked away, he realized _exactly_ what he lost. And how much he wanted it back.

Through a mouthful of food, Bart's voice was low in his ear. "Huh… I think he's seen the light."

AC snorted. "Or at least stopped _pretending_ he hasn't."

Oliver's eyes flickered over to them as they stood next to the buffet and shook his head slightly when they threw him a thumbs-up. Great. His own cheering section.

"I've got the files," Victor interrupted. "Any chance you guys can stop gawking and get me out of here?"

"On it, dude."

Minutes later, they were all safe and sound and with a pat to his breast pocket, Victor assured him that the goods were in hand. Now, all he had to do was figure out how to clean up his own mess.

"So _that _was what the fuss was about," Victor said understandingly. "Stunning as ever, Watchtower."

From afar, Oliver noted her appreciative smile before she returned her attention to her date, who was busy trying to feed her a grape from his plate of food. For an absurd moment, he couldn't help thinking that he bet she'd rather the strawberry, and a moment later she plucked a strawberry up to show her date as she shook her head at his offer. He grinned. Why, he didn't really know. It was stupid; it wasn't as if she knew what he'd been thinking or even that it was a sign in the first place. But it _did _kick him into gear. He excused himself from his date, who was too busy regaling his associates with some other story that she barely noticed, and before long he was crossing the room to her, finally ready to act on the inevitable.

"Chloe," he said in way of greeting, coming to a stop in front of her.

She looked around as if she was surprised he was there, almost checking to see if _another _Chloe happened to be inhabiting the area, and he regretted just how much he'd been ignoring her.

"Oliver," she replied stiffly, looking from him to her confused date.

Patting her date's chest affectionately, she motioned to him. "Troy, this is Oliver Queen, a friend of a friend."

He grimaced briefly at her description but nodded obligingly. He deserved that. "Enjoying yourselves?" he asked, lifting a brow.

"Yeah, yes, um, everything is great," Troy replied, babbling slightly. "Sorry, I just… I can't believe I'm actually meeting you. I read your biography in Forbes last year and you're net worth is like…" He blushed. "Sorry, again, I just… I'm gonna stop talking now."

Oliver smirked. "Don't worry about it. I know what it's like."

"Really? Because there aren't very many people richer than you…" Troy trailed off, eyes widening.

"True." He laughed shortly. He might not like the kid, for obvious reasons, but it was amusing to see him crack. "I meant more that I know what it's like to be in awe of somebody for a rap sheet and then to actually meet them and get to know the real person. It's…" He stared at her meaninfully, "Enlightening."

Unamused, she shook her head. "Until you realize they're not all their cracked up to be," she replied, pursing her lips. "That as much as they hide behind this veneer of confidence they're still some scared little boy that runs off at the first sight of anything _real_."

He nodded slowly. "Like anybody, it takes them a little while to catch up," he admitted. "Maybe they were scared, maybe they knew just how real it was and they didn't want to take the chance in case they ruined it…" He stared at her searchingly. "Just like they've ruined everything else."

Her brows furrowed, clarity dawning. "Comparisons shouldn't matter. What they did before they would've learned from and hopefully, they would know not to make the same mistakes… And even if they _did_, if it was truly real then they'd know that they weren't in danger of screwing it up. Because she knows him, better than anybody, and she wouldn't _let _him ruin it. Not when she was just as invested as he was…"

Licking his lips, he sighed. "And he should've known that. In fact, he does. Now. It just took a little… convincing."

She cocked a brow. "Really? And what was so _enlightening_?"

Stepping closer, he reached out, caught a tendril of her hair and rubbed it between his fingers. "Faced with the possibility of losing her before he ever really had her, he realized just how huge a mistake he'd made… How much of a coward he was for ever walking away."

Expression softening, she reached up to straighten out the already perfect lapels of his jacket. "Maybe he's not too late… He's pretty good at convincing a woman he's sorry."

Oliver grinned. "Very sorry."

Watching with keen interest, Troy lifted a brow. "Do you two always talk in the second person? I imagine that gets confusing."

Chloe laughed, glancing at him. "No, we don't."

"Should I back away slowly now? Leave you to your tender moment?"

"It'd be appreciated," she replied, amused.

"And this is me leaving." Turning, he fled.

"I was expecting more of a fight." Brows furrowed, he watched him leave, asking, "Do I wanna know…?"

"He's a friend," she said simply. "He wanted to get in and mingle with the rich and famous and I needed a quickie date."

He cocked a brow. "So he wasn't planning on stealing you away from me?"

She chuckled. "No… At least, not that I know of."

"Then I won't have to scare him off, good. Seems like a nice enough guy." He smirked, his hand finding her hip and tugging her nearer. "Think I might get another try at this 'us' thing?" Tucking her hair behind her ear, he cupped her cheek affectionately.

"No running away?" she wondered, brow furrowed with amused suspicion.

"I give you full permission to kick my ass if I do anything that stupid again," he swore.

Grinning, she lifted her arms to wrap around his neck. "I'll hold you to that."

He hoped she did. Because if he ever managed to talk himself out of something this right, he deserved it.

"Now that he's preoccupied with 'Licious, think I gotta shot with the Brazilian hottie?" Bart wondered, voice echoing in their ears.

Rolling his eyes, Oliver chuckled under his breath. "Have at it, Impulse."

With that, he bent forward. Fingers tangled in her hair, palms cupping her face, he drew her close.

"No going back," she whispered.

Lips curling with a smile, he nodded. "I'm looking forward."

Her eyes fell shut the moment their lips slanted together and he followed suit seconds after he saw sweet tenderness soften her face. She tasted vaguely of strawberries and champagne, their tongues sweeping together and tangling in a hot embrace of familiar comfort. Sliding a hand down her spine, he pressed the small of her back until she was so tight against him he could make out every curve of her body. Arms wrapped around his neck, she stroked his hair affectionately. Breathless, content, he wondered how in the world he ever managed to walk away in the first place. It wasn't a mistake he'd ever repeat.


End file.
